“It Could Be Perceived as Radical”: How a District Wrote, Passed, and Implemented a Racial Equity Policy

• In Event: Sunday Roundtable 9:45 am
  In Roundtable Session: Views of Policy Implementation From Those on the Ground (Table 36)

Abstract

During the summer of racial reckoning in 2020, school districts embarked on a journey to address historic racial inequities in their systems; for some, this involved policy analysis, professional development, and adjustments to curriculum and teaching practices. This focus on equity led to a swift backlash and many districts became silent or backed off entirely. One district that took important steps towards racial equity was Pseudonym Public Schools (PPS). Despite pushback, PPS continued their equity work: they continued offering and even expanding racial equity training, placed racial equity at the forefront of their strategic plan, and adopted a strongly worded racial equity policy. The journey of this policy, from drafting to adoption to implementation, is the focus of this proposal.

Authors

• Elizabeth Uzzell, University of Virginia

• Coby Meyers, University of Virginia